One Day
by SwirlingSilver
Summary: Some time in the future, a blonde walks into a bar in New Orleans and Caleb, a local vampire, notices. Who is she and what is she looking for?


**This is my first Vampire Diaries fanfiction although I am a big fan of the show! So, this is an outsider's viewpoint of the day Caroline comes to New Orleans. I hope you enjoy it.**

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One Day.

_Caroline, I'm standing in one of my favourite places in the world surrounded by food, music, art, culture, and all I can think about is how much I want to show it to you. Maybe one day you'll let me.- The Vampire Diaries (The Originals.)_

I call the bartender over with a wave of my hand. Even in the crowded bar, he immediately comes over and leans over the bar to take my order.

"Another one in there," I say, tapping the side of the glass in front of me with a finger. He turns to the optics hanging behind the bar and as he shifts he reveals the side of his neck, a square of gauze standing out against his olive skin. He's been fed on recently. Damn. I'll have to find dinner somewhere else tonight. It wouldn't do to have him bleeding out in my favourite bar. The cops would descend faster than you can say 'vampire' and the place would be closed for at least a week, probably longer.

"On the house," the man says when he returns, sliding the glass across the dark wood.

"I should think so," I reply, letting him see a flash of reddening eyes and drawing my lips back to reveal my teeth. The human shudders and turns away quickly. As soon as his eyes leave me, however, his shoulders relax and a carefree smile returns to his face, his compulsion causing him to forget any vestiges of fear.

Across the room, a high laugh rings out, louder than the pounding bass pouring from the sound system and I wince. My eyes find the laughing woman and then fall onto the man standing beside her, leaning close, whispering into her ear. When she giggles again he glances up and meets my eyes. It's Logan. He grins at me, and shakes his head, clearly signalling that this woman is _his_ meal tonight. I nod and turn away.

People press against each other, flirting and chattering, volume fluctuating with the music in an ever shifting press of sweat and limbs. Some of the more shameless are half hidden in the corners, grunting and groaning as they devour each other, a thin layer of clothing the only barrier between them actually screwing against the wall.

Then, like the beginning of an insipid joke, a blonde walks into the bar.

I spot her as soon as she walks in, pushing open the door and bringing in the draughty night air with her. She's pulling a suitcase on wheels behind her, just a simple black one, and she cuts through the crowd easily, making her way to the bar in record time. Her long blonde hair is loose over her shoulders, lightly curled around her thin face and she scans the room as she walks. Apparently she doesn't find what she is looking for because she sits down on the vacant stool beside me with a heavy sigh and starts looking for the bartender.

I run my eyes over her. Pretty. Very pretty in fact. Her tight jeans show off her long legs to perfection and her blue-grey eyes draw attention like metal to a magnet. Her perfume is subtle, not overpowering but intoxicating. I put on my best smile and edge closer to her.

"Hello there," I say and she whips around, eyes sharp and focus absolute. She gives me the once over. Her hair falls away from her neck and I cannot help but look at the smooth skin. Mmm. She's asking for a bite.

"Hi," she says and turns away again, raising her hand to call the bartender. My smile slips. I'll have to turn up the charm to get her to follow me somewhere a little more private.

"You from out of town?" I ask, nodding to the suitcase by her feet. "What brings you to New Orleans?"

"I'm... looking for someone I used to know."

She still isn't looking at me. She struggles to get the attention of the bartender who is engrossed with the cleavage of a brunette down the bar. I raise my hand to get his attention and in ten seconds he has abandoned his conquest and appears in front of us.

"Serve this young lady."

The bartender looks at the woman and she quickly gives him her order. I see her notice fall on the bandage on his neck and her eyes narrow in suspicion.

"You're welcome," I say to try and distract her. A suspicious meal is a difficult meal.

"Thanks," she says, but the roll of her eyes as she does so shows her insincerity. Something seems to occur to her and she looks at me closely.

"Listen, seeing as how you're new here, I'd be happy to show you around," I say.

The bartender slides her drink in front of her and she reaches into her purse for money.

"On the house," I say, compelling the barman.

"On the house," he agrees and the blonde huffs as I shoo him away.

"Why did you do that?" She demands as she stuffs her money back into her purse.

"Girls as pretty as you shouldn't have to pay for anything. Now about my offer, I'd love to show you around. New Orleans at night is spectacular."

"I meant," she hisses under her breath. "Why did you _compel_ him?"

In a moment I'm on alert. I listen. No heartbeat. There goes dinner.

"You're a vampire," I say on an exhalation.

"And so are you. And you can go find dinner somewhere else."

She takes a sip of her drink and I think for a moment. Okay, so she's off the dinner menu but she's still gorgeous. I move my stool a little closer. She looks at me incredulously.

"I'm Caleb."

"Caleb. Thank you for the drink. But I'm not in the mood."

"Long day?"

The blonde sighs and rubs her forehead. "Getting longer."

"Maybe I can help. We could go somewhere after you've finished your drink, have a nice time..."

"Are you kidding me?"

"You said yourself you've had a long day and its clear you're stressed out. I just want to help." I move even closer. I know I'm attractive, I have deep brown eyes, dark hair and I'm tall. I have never been short of offers before and I'm hoping my proximity might soften her towards me. "You've not told me your name."

"And I'm not going to."

"Do you want me to guess?"

She turns to me quickly, eyes boring into mine fiercely. "Can't you take the hint? I've spent all day walking around this city and the last thing I need is to be hit on."

"Come on, I'm just trying to help you relax."

"Clearly you aren't understanding this. Go back to the cave you crawled out of and leave me alone." With a last glare, she turns away from me.

Irritation darts through me but keep the easy smile fixed to my face. "Come on, baby, don't be like that. I think you and I could have a lot of fun together." I reach out to brush her hair away from her neck.

A hand closes over my wrist. Instinctively I try to pull away, using all my strength but I can't get out of his grip. I look up, allowing my eyes to darken in threat but stop abruptly when I see who it is. Klaus. The original.

"I believe the lady said to get lost. So," he says as his hand tightens painfully and leans in close to my face. "Hands off."

I'm not ashamed to say I cowered from him. The guy's a freaking original. If you're not afraid, you're suicidal. Klaus stares at me until I nod and then he turns to the blonde, dismissing me with the turn of his back. Unnoticed by me, the girl has stood up and is now facing Klaus.

"Hello, love."

"Klaus," the blonde says, the word leaving her mouth in a breathless rush.

Klaus stares at her. "I hear you've been looking for me."

"I have," she nods and swallows. Her hands twist together in front of her and she shifts from leg to leg.

"Nervous?"

"A little. It's been a long time. But," she says as she stands up straighter and lifts her chin, visibly strengthening herself, "I wanted to tell you, if you still want... It's one day."

Klaus grins. "I told you a small town life wouldn't be enough."

"You were right," she says as she steps closer to him, eyes fixed on his face as though she can't bear to take her eyes away. What the hell?

"Come on then, love. We have some catching up to do."

Her face splits into a relieved smile and he grabs her suitcase from where it stands by her legs.

As they move off somewhere, a tourist brushes past behind me and I catch a scent of flowery perfume and underneath warm, pounding, liquid, metallic. My mouth waters and I slide off my stool, following her towards the corridor at the back of the bar where the restrooms are located.

Dinner is served.


End file.
